Commensurate with the expansion of electronic innovations that are currently making their appearance in the consumer marketplace, is the availability of equipment that provides consumers with the ability to record various modalities of data, or media, that are associated with new as well as old technologies. Various methods of media storage, from the venerable video cassette recorders (VCRs) and audio cassette recorders and others, are utilized, ever more frequently, by consumers with various home recording devices to capture digital as well as analog data encoding computer programs, movies, music, video and pictures onto media storage devices.
One of the most recently introduced recording devices that has found widespread popularity are compact disc recorders and their associated recordable compact discs (CD-Rs). Compact disks (CDs) were first implemented commercially for storing digital audio data (CD-Digital Audio). The CD is made up of a polycarbonate substrate, a thin reflective metallic layer, and a lacquer coating. On one side of the CD is encoded a data track, comprising pits to encode data. This spiral track is about 1.6 to 2.2 microns wide, and the pits are about 0.6 microns wide. CDs commonly used for home recording are known in the common vernacular as CD-Rs, which stands for compact disc-recordable. In addition to these types of CDs, there are a plethora of additional types of CDs now available. These include CD-I, CD-ROM, CD-Text as well as other types of CDs, differing in their recording capabilities and the various formats in which data is stored onto the discs, as known in the art.
As the practice of recording various data on all manner of media storage devices (CDs, for example) becomes more and more commonplace, there arises an associated need for users to be able to recognize and identify individual media storage devices out of a plurality of media storage devices, as well as the data stored on them. Customarily users are provided with some sort of label or surface on the media storage device upon which indicia may be disposed.
For example, a xe2x80x9cwriteablexe2x80x9d surface on the xe2x80x9cbacksidexe2x80x9d or non-electronically readable surface of the CD, is the common prior art method of identification by which individual CDs are distinguished from one another. This xe2x80x9cbacksidexe2x80x9d of the CDs may be provided with a coating upon which a user is able to apply various markings, as with a pen or felt tip marker, for example. Or, as another example, some CD-Rs are provided with blank, ring-shaped labels which can be marked by hand on one side and are secured onto the non-electronically readable surface of the CD by an adhesive. Such a type of label is exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,934, wherein is provided an annular CD label with positioning means for placing the CD label xe2x80x9con centerxe2x80x9d on a CD.
While prior art methods for labeling various media storage devices typically rely on labels that are amenable to handwritten indicia, there is a current need for new more versatile media storage label assemblies. For example, the widespread use of computers and printers further argues the case for new, multi-layer sheet assemblies that provide media storage labels and inserts that may be used in conjunction with these printers.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide multi-layer sheet assemblies and associated methods of use to provide users of recordable media storage devices with a mode of producing media storage labels and associated inserts in an inclusive, all-in-one procedure.
It is further noted that layered assemblies and associated methods of the present invention are equally amenable to providing media storage labels and associated inserts for various sorts of media storage devices such as, but not limited to, various CD types, digital video discs (DVD)s, video tapes, and cassettes.
The present invention relates generally to methods and assemblies that are utilized for label printing. More particularly, the present invention relates to novel multi-layer sheet assemblies, upon which indicia may be deposited, including machine printable indicia.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, multi-layer sheet assemblies, further detailed below, provide an adhesive CD label with an optional detachable positioning element, a spine label and an associated insert. The insert may receive, for example, a table of contents or other information or indicia that may relate or indicate the contents of the CD to which the associated media storage label will be affixed. In reference to this particular embodiment, the insert portion of the multi-layer assembly is detachable from the rest of the multi-layer sheet assembly and may be placed in the lid portion of the typical CD carrying case, commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9cjewel casexe2x80x9d. Similarly, the spine label may be detached and placed on the xe2x80x9cspinexe2x80x9d portion of a jewel case.
Additionally, the present invention provides a multi-layer sheet assembly that may be fed into printers whereby an adhesive media storage label and optional detachable positioning elements and spine labels, as well as an associated insert, may be printed with desired indicia. The present invention disclosed and the associated methods of use are particularly well suited for utilization in printers that are commonplace in both the home and office. Deposition of desired indicia on both the adhesive media storage label and the associated insert, as well as spine labels, may be achieved all in one pass through the printer. If desired, users may deposit indicia on both sides of the insert by utilizing two passes in the printer. The multi-layer sheet assemblies are preferentially of constant thickness, for ease in printing, avoiding printer jams and uneven stacks of forms.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.